CIF Championships: Baseball Openers in Open Division

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: May 20, 2026

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
CIF-San Diego Section Championship

East County Sports.com

EL CAJON – Administrators attempt to be fair to all schools, but care more about the elite programs, especially those playing in the Open Division of the CIF-San Diego Section championships.

For those competent in mathematics, Patrick Henry, who is seeded fifth and forced to play an
opening-round road game, could’ve gained a home berth if Coronado, which went winless in Western League competition, were instead in the Eastern League with Christian and Madison.

Likewise, Granite Hills would’ve been in contention for a home game instead of being seeded seventh. But the Eagles’ schedule included three winless ball clubs, which posted the poorest record in school history with just a single win.

Valhalla officials knew three years ago that local student-athletes from feeder middle schools were not very talented, so why not place Orange Nation inn th Grossmont Valley League.

The GHL once featured only four schools, but the Eagles needed to play the Norsemen three times, their CIF computer power index suffered despite holding an amazxing 57-1 scoring-margin advantage in the three-game season series.

One problem: the Grossmont Union High School District only 11 schools that field athletics teams – Chaparral does not.

One thought mentioned but ultimately rejected: return the GHL to four ballclubs in baseball, then place the remaining seven schools into two GVL divisions.

Of course, an eight school would be needed to balance the schedule, but that has been done before by inviting a guest entry. Examples could be Foothills Christian, Liberty Charter, or a smaller City Conference school.

For those old enough to remember, Christian was once a full-time member of the Grossmont Conference, but were later rejected following one season (1979-80).

Nevertheless, Patrick Henry and Granite Hills ignored the numbers and spoke their peace on the ballfield — both holding late leads.

Open Division
(5) Patrick Henry 6, (4) Rancho Bernardo 3
At Rancho Bernardo Field: Patrick Henry pitcher Tyson Bobo carried a one-hit shutout into the sixth inning while protecting a 6-0 lead, leading the Patriots past fourth-seeded Rancho Bernardo, 6-3.

The large advantage was created by Parks Kronk- Hawley, who capped a five-run rally in the third inning with a grand slam.

Bobo struck out five Broncos batters, only allowing a lead single to Ball 1, striking in the fifth.

Bobo was finally touched in the sixth, but fellow senior Eli Brum entered to record the final four outs for the save.

The crucial second inning saw RB gain two walks and a Pats error to load the bases, but Bobo escaped on a shallow fly ball to center field.

Holding a 1-0 lead when Jayden Goldman smacked a solo homer in the second inning proved to be the game-winning run. Then, after RB left the bases loaded, the Pats broke through on an RBI single by James Gunn. Moments later, Kronk-Hawley went to right for his slam.

(2) San Marcos 6, (7) Granite Hills 4
At Excalibur Baseball Field, San Marcos: Granite Hills snapped an early 3-all deadlock with a sacrifice fly by Colton Windham in the fifth inning.

However, San Marcos ‘ Brody Layne bombed a three-run homer to right field in the sixth, then pitched the seventh for the save.

Granite Hills held a chance to again knot the ballgame on a lead walk-off by Colton Windham in. But the Knights closed on a strikeout and a double play on a line-drive out to right fielder A.J. Turner, who fired to shortstop Max Snakenborg, to close the contest.

— Nick Pellegrino